Faith of the Fallen

She passed her gaze from Zedd, to Adie, to Verna, to Warren. None revealed anything in their expression.

Kahlan stood and spoke softly. "I don't ever want to know which one of you did this. I'm not saying you were wrong. . I just don't want to know."

The four gifted people nodded.

At the door, Kahlan stood in the bright sunlight a moment, feeling the cold air on her face, searching, until she saw Captain Ryan leaning against a stout young maple tree. He stood at attention as she strode out to him through the snow.

"Bradley, did Prince Harold tell you why he was coming here?"

Calling him by his given name, rather than his rank, changed the nature of the question. His rigid posture slackened.

"Yes, Mother Confessor. He said he had to tell you that he had been ordered back by his queen to defend Galea, and that he was further ordered to bring his men serving with you back to Galea with him."

"Then what are you doing here? Why did you and your men come along, if he was to take everyone back?"

He lifted his square jaw and looked at her with clear blue eyes.

"Because we deserted, Mother Confessor."

"You what?"

"Prince Harold gave me his orders, as I just reported them. I told him that it was wrong, and could only harm our people. He said it was not for me to decide such things. He said it was not for me to think, but to follow orders.

"I've fought with you, Mother Confessor. I believe I know you better than Prince Harold does-I know you are devoted to protecting the lives of the people of the Midlands. I told him that what Cyrilla was doing was wrong. He was angry, and said it was my duty to follow my orders.

"I told him that, in that case, I was deserting the Galean army and was going to stand with you, instead. I thought he was going to have me put to death for disobeying him, but he would have had to put all thousand of us to death because all the men felt the same way. A good many came forward to tell him so. The fire seemed to go out of him, then, and he let us ride down here with him.

"I hope you aren't angry with us, Mother Confessor."

Kahlan couldn't force herself to be the Mother Confessor at that moment. She put her arms around him.

"Thank you, Bradley."

She gripped his shoulders and smiled at him through her watery vision.

"You used your head. I couldn't be angry with that."

"You told us once we were a badger trying to swallow an ox whole. Looks to me you've taken to trying to do the same thing. If there ever was a badger who could swallow an ox whole, it would be you, Mother Confessor, but I guess we wouldn't want you to try it without us to help you do it."

They turned then and saw General Meiffert directing some of his men.

They were carrying Prince Harold's limp body out of the lodge, holding him by the shoulders and feet. His hands dragged through the snow.

"I figured this wasn't going to come to any good end," the young captain said. "Ever since Cyrilla was hurt, Prince Harold just never seemed himself. I always loved the man. It hurt me to have to desert him. But he just wasn't making sense anymore."

Kahlan put a comforting hand on his shoulder as they watched the body being carried away.

"I'm sorry, Bradley. Like you, I always thought highly of him. I guess seeing his sister and his queen so long held in the grip of that kind of sickness just brought him to his wits' end. Try to keep your good memories of him."

"I will, Mother Confessor."

Kahlan changed the subject. "I'll need one of your men to take a message to Cyrilla. I was going to have Harold take it, but now we'll need a messenger."

"I will see to it, Mother Confessor."

She only then realized how cold it was outside, and that she didn't have a cloak. As the captain went to get his men quartered and to pick out a man to act as a messenger, Kahlan went back inside the lodge.

Cara was putting more wood on the hearth. Verna and Adie had gone.

Warren was selecting a rolled map from the basket of maps and diagrams in the corner.

As he was leaving; Kahlan caught Warren's arm. She looked into the wizard's blue eyes, knowing they were much older than they appeared. Richard had always said that Warren was one of the smartest people he had ever met.

Besides that, Warren's true talent was said to lie in the area of prophecy.

"Warren, are we all going to die in this mad war?"

His face softened with a shy but impish grin. "I thought you didn't believe in prophecy, Kahlan."

She released his arm. "I guess I don't. Never mind."

Cara, leaving to find some more firewood, followed Warren out. Kahlan warmed herself before the hearth as she stared at Spirit standing on the mantel. Zedd rested a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"What you had to say to Harold about using your mind, about reason, was very wise, Kahlan. You were right."

Her fingers touched the buttery smooth walnut robes of Spirit. "It was what Richard said, when he was telling me what he had finally come to understand about what he had to do. He said the only sovereign he could allow to rule him was reason."